Selector switch



March 1953 e. H. KLAY 2,631,211

SELECTOR SWITCH Original Filed Jan. 30, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l ill/12 0 15%;

ATTORNEYS March 10, 1953 G..H. KLAY SELECTOR, swrrca 3 She et' s-v-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 30, 1948 P o t n e v \m.

Geo RGE HENRY KLA EEA5E0 By Josepl-uuz BuRKHcLDEw.

ADM\N\STRATR\X By A w ja w ATTORNEYS March 10, 1953 G. H.' KLAY SELECTOR SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Jan. 30, 1948 III lnv e n; o r- GEORGE. HENRv K \.A\/.DECEA$ED a w E E o jN L R m eo m w R.

u A A 5 R E T Nwj mm W Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELECTOR SWITCH ration of Ohio Original application January 39, 19.48, ,Serial No. 5,217, now Patent No. 2,561,930,.datedJuly 24, 1951,, Divided and this .a1 plication v"May 31. 1950, Serial'No. 165,277"

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to switches, and particularly to rotary typeelectrical switches in which a rotatable collector member is adapted for selectively making contact with any of a plurality of stationary contacts;

This application is a division of co-pending application, Serial No. 5,217, filed January 30. 1948, now Patent No. 2,561,930.

Switches of the nature referred to above are often employed in connection with instruments such as radio tube testers and the like.

Formerly it has been customary to secure the fixed contacts inposition on a suitable insulating member by riveting and then to arrange the disc assembly in relationship to a rotary contact member such that contact between a rotary member and the fixed contacts can selectively be made.

Ordinarily, a suitable detent mechanism isassociated with the rotary member so that it has aplurality of rest positions wherein contact is made.

One of the principal difliculties encountered switch wherein a. certain number of the switch connections can be madeat the time of assembling the switch thus eliminating external wiring andv soldering.

Still. another object is the. provision 01 a rotary type selector switch which is sealed againstthe introduction of dirt to the contact chamber.

Still another object of; this invention is the provision of a rotary type selector switch where-v in the contacts are firmly anchored so that the connection of wires thereto does not disturb their alignment with each other.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure; 1 is a perspective view of a switch constructed according to. this invention;

Figure. 2 is. av view. looking in at the bottom of; the. switch shown. in Figure 1;

ing down from the knob endof the: switch in Figure 1 and with the cover plate: removed therefrom;

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the switch and is indicatedbythe-linesd-efl. on Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a plan View showing the member from which the fixed contacts are 'cutfiand before assembly of the member with the switch bo y;

Figure 6 shows the member including the fixed: contacts in assembled position with the switch body;

Figure 7 is a view like Figure 6 but showing the fixed contacts separated from each other;

Figure 8 is a sectional view located by the-line 8-8 on Figure, '7 and showing how adjacent parts of the switch body serve to clamp the fixed contacts in position;

Figure 9 is a sectional view indicated by the line 9-8 on Figure 5 and'showing the configuration of the fixed contacts at the point where they engage the switch body;

Figure 10 is a sectional view indicated by the line l0-l 0 on Figure 6 and illustrating the appearance of the fixed contactsafter they have been pressed into the switch body; and;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing some of the fixed contacts connected by the ring with which they are formed.

Referring to the drawings, a switch constructed according to this invention ccrnprisesa body consisting'of' the parts Iii and 12. Theconstruction of the parts it and i2 will" be seen in Figures 1 through i. The part H! is recessed" as at it for receiving a rotor 15. and a somewhat enlarged counter-bore 5.8 surrounds the said recess.

The rotor it is adapted for-being retained in position in the recess by an annular contact mem' her 23 which is releasablyretained. in overlapping position with the periphery' of" the rotor by the spring fingers or tongues; 22; thereof" which extend through slots 24 spaced around the periphery of the recess it.

The rotor also carrie the spring contacts 25 and. 25 which are retained in position by. the screws and nuts 35. cludes a resilient finger 32 which. rides on the ring 26 and both the contact members 25 and 23 include the spring fingers '34- which are adapted for engagement with the fixed contacts as will be seen hereinafter.

The rim 3% of the bodypart ID has; a plurality of radially extendingg-rooves or slots therein as indicated: at 38. These rooves or slots are for The spring contact 25 in the purpose of receiving the stationary contacts and at least one of the said slots provides a passage for the arm 46 on the fixed contact ring 253 by means of which a connection can be made to the ring externally of the switch. As will be noted from Figures 9 and 10 the slots 38 are rectangular in cross section and the straight sides thereof are engaged by the elements 68.

According to this invention the body part it is recessed as at 42 on the side opposite the recess Hi and mounted in the said recess is a notched index plate i l. As will be seen in Figure 3 the notched index plate is engaged on opposite sides by the rounded ends of a C-shaped spring 4% which has its center part bent out as at 48 to fit between a lug and the periphery of the recess 62.

The arrangement at the middle part of the spring prevents the same from shifting angularly within the recess 42 and thus accurately locates the index plate #4 in its several indexed positions.

The index plate is mounted on a shaft 52 which has a fiat blade 54 thereon that extends through a rectangular notch 56 in the rotor 55. -It will be apparent that indexing movements of the shaft will be accomplished by indexing movements of the rotor.

The shaft and index plate are retained in position by the cover plate 58 which is secured to the face of the body part it by the screws 69 which extend through lugs on the body parts ii] and i2 and thus retain the entire switch assembly rigidly together.

Returning to the fixed contact arrangements, these will be seen to comprise a plurality of radially extending fingers 62, the inner ends of which as at 54 lay in the path of the resilient fingers 34 carried by the rotor and the outer ends of which are interconnected by a ring t6. As shown in Figure 5 these fingers 62 have a narrowed intermediate portion which passes through the notch or slot 38 in the rim 35 of the body part, and the wider portions of the fingers at their internal ends engage the body id as shown in Figure 7.

It will be apparent that the entire fixed contact group can be formed in one integral part by a stamping operation. The advantage of so forming the fixed contacts is that they can be assembled with the switch body as a single piece. The sequence of steps in the assembling of the fixed contacts with the switch body is illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and '7.

In Figure 5 the stamping member including the fixed. contacts and their supporting rin is shown.

In Figure 6 thismember'is assembled with the switch body as a unit. I

In Figure '7 the ring part of this member has been severed between the individual contact fingers so that they can have individual wires connected therewith.

In order firmly to fix the individual contacts to the switch body an intermediate portion of each finger, that is at the narrowed portion which extends across the rim of the switch body, an element extending from the contact finger is formed to a non-planar configuration as indicated at $3 in Figure 9. The width of the portion 58 will be seen to be substantially the same as the width of the slots 38 and the arcuate surface of element E8 is concave with respect to the slot 33.

Inassembling the fixed contacts with the switch body the fixed contact member is placed on the switch body with the parts 68 of the individual fingers of the member resting in their correspondingslots 3%. Thereafter pressure is applied to the fixed contact member and it is deformed into the position indicated in Figure 10. The deforming of the contact fingers causes them to spread laterally and thereby to dig into the side walls of the slots 38 and to hold the said fingers tightly iii-position. Thereafter the body part 12 is assembled on the body part i2 and this additionally serves to clamp the fingers in position. The severing of the ring between the contact fingers may be carried out at the same time the said fingers are pressed into their slots 38 if desired, or this operation may be carried out after the switch has been completely assembled.

As shown in Figure 11 some of the contact fingers may be left interconnected as indicated by the partial ring as at it which is not clipped from the contact fingers. This permits certain connections to be made between the fingers without the use of wire and solder and materially reduces the time of installation of the switch in the circuit with which it is used.

- It will be apparent that the clamping together of the body parts it and i2 not only serves to tighten and hold the contact fingers in proper position relative to the body part so that the rotary contacts will properly engage each and every one thereof, but also serves to exclude dust and dirt from the contact chamber formed by the recess and counter-bore in the body part IE! and the recess 72 in the body part 52.

One advantage incident to the clamping action of the body parts on the contact fingers is that bending of the said fingers externally of the switch when connections are made thereto, does not change the position of the inner end of the contact finger. This is a distinct advantage over the usual types of mounting for contact fingers which are such that bending of the fingers anywhere will bring about shifting of all other parts thereof.

The switch illustrated in the drawings is a single deck switch, but it will be apparent that as many decks could be employed as desired.

As best seen in Figures 4 and 8 the body part 22 is also recessed and counterbored as at 14 and 75, respectively, in the same manner as the body part It is recessed and counter-bored at i i and it. Thus, if desired, a rotor could be mounted in the recess M. and a contact ring mounted on the face of the body part i2 and clamped thereagainst by still another body part.

In a double deck arrangement of this type a single detent mechanism is sufiicient so that all that would have to be added to the body part 12 would be the rotor, the fixed contacts, and a closure or clamping member such as another body part. t will be evident that as many decks as were necessary could be built up in this manner and that each of the said decks would retain the advantages set forth in connection with the single deck switch illustration.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electric switch, a lower electrically insulating body part having a rim defining an internal recess and provided with straight-sided walls defining a rectangularly shaped notch in the said rim, said notch connecting the said recess with the outer side of said body part, a longitudinal contact member having an intermediate portion passing through said notch, said contact member extending inwardly and outwardly of said body part, an element integral with said contact member at said intermediate portion extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom into said notch and deformably pressured into engagement with the said walls defining said rectangularly shaped notch to securely fix said contact member in said body part, said element having a normal surface configuration concavely arcuate with respect to said straight sided walls of said rectangularly shaped notch and of a normal width and thickness substantially equal to said notch, and an upper electrically insulating body part secured to said lower body part adjacent said notch and retaining said contact member therein.

2. In an electric switch, a lower electrically insulating body part having a rim defining an internal recess and provided with straight-sided walls defining a rectangularly shaped notch in the said rim, said notch connecting the said recess with the outer side of said body part, a longitudinal contact member having a narrowed intermediate portion passing through said notch, said contact member extending inwardly and outwardly of said body part and having wider portions thereof at their internal ends engaging the said lower body part, an element integral with said contact member at said narrowed intermediate portion extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom into said rectangularly shaped notch and deformably pressured into engagement with the said straight-sided walls defining said rectangularly shaped notch to securely fix said contact member in said body part. said element having a normal surface configuration concavely arcuate with respect to said straight-sided walls of said notch and of a normal width and thickness substantially equal to said notch, and an upper electrically insulating body part secured to said lower body part adjacent said notch and retaining said contact member therein.

3. In an electric switch, a body of insulating material separable along a plane and having an internal recess connected by radially extending rectangularly shaped notches with the outer side of said body at the said plane of separation, a longitudinally extending contact finger having a pressure deformable element extending substantially perpendicularly from an intermediate portion thereof and passing through each said rectangularly shaped notch and secured to said body at each said notch by the pressured engagement of said deformable element with said body, the said body serving to enclose the internally extending portions of each said contact finger.

JOSEPHINE BURKHOLDER, Administratria: of the estate of George Henry Klay, deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,046,823 McBerty Dec. 10, 1912 1,950,156 Swoboda Mar. 6, 1934 2,447,718 Simpson Aug. 24, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 612,293 Germany Apr. 17, 1935 

